How To Transfer Web Hosting From One Company To Another

Switching to a new cPanel web hosting provider doesn’t have to be stressful. Yes, there are real risks, including downtime, data loss, and email disruption. But with the correct steps, you can avoid all of them.

This guide shows you how to transfer web hosting safely. You learn how to back up your site, move your files and database, set up email, update DNS, and keep your website online throughout.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Knowing how to transfer web hosting starts with preparation, so first gather all login details, DNS records, and SSL information.
• Always back up your website files, databases, and email accounts before starting the transfer.
• Don’t cancel your old hosting until the transfer is complete and DNS propagation has finished.
• Test everything on the new server using a temporary URL before updating your nameservers.
• Keep both hosting accounts running for at least 48 to 72 hours after the switch to avoid downtime.

How Do You Transfer Web Hosting?

Here’s the short version of how to transfer web hosting:

1. Choose a new hosting provider.
2. Back up your website files, database, and email accounts.
3. Create your new hosting account.
4. Upload website files and import your database to the new server.
5. Set up email accounts and DNS records.
6. Test your website using a temporary URL.
7. Update your nameservers or DNS to point to the new host.
8. Monitor your site for issues after the switch.

Each step is explained in detail below.

Before You Transfer Web Hosting: What You Need

Before you start the transfer, gather everything you need, because having these items ready will save you time and prevent issues halfway through the process.

Current Hosting Login Details

You’ll need access to your current hosting account’s control panel to download files, export databases, and check settings. Ensure you have your username and password handy.

Domain Registrar Login Details

Your domain may be registered with a different company than your hosting provider. You require access to your domain registrar account to update nameservers later. If you’re unsure who your registrar is, run a quick WHOIS lookup on your domain.

Website Files

Ensure you know where your website files are stored on your current web server. This includes HTML files, scripts, images, themes, plugins, and any other media. You will download all of these during the backup step.

Database Export

If your website runs on a content management system (CMS) or uses a database, you need to export it. WordPress sites, for example, use a MySQL database that stores your posts, pages, settings, and user data. If you’re a WordPress user, you can refer to our guide, How to Export a WordPress Site: A Step-By-Step Guide to download your website’s database and files.

Email Account Details

If your email is hosted with your current provider, write down every email address, password, and any forwarding rules you’ve set up. Missing even one account can cause problems after the switch.

DNS Records

Sign in to your current host or registrar and take a screenshot or a copy of your existing DNS records. This includes A records, CNAME records, MX records, TXT records, and any custom entries you’ve added.

SSL Certificate Details

Check whether your current SSL certificate is provided by your host or purchased separately. Your new host will need to have SSL ready before you go live, so it’s good to know what you’re working with.

Current Hosting Cancellation Terms

Review your contract before making any moves. Some providers charge early-cancellation fees, and others require 30 days’ notice. We recommend that you don’t cancel your old account until the transfer is fully complete and tested.

It might look long, but once you’ve gathered everything, the actual transfer is much smoother.

Should You Transfer Hosting Yourself or Ask Your New Host to Help?

That depends on your technical comfort level and the complexity of your website.

If you’re familiar with File Transfer Protocol (FTP), databases, and DNS settings, a DIY transfer is completely doable. The steps in this guide will explain everything. For a static website with a few pages and no database, the process is straightforward.

However, not every website is simple. WordPress sites, ecommerce stores, and any site that relies on a database need more careful handling.

One incorrect step during a database export or import can break your entire site. The same goes for configuration files that connect your site to its database. If those details don’t match the new server, your site won’t load.

Businesses that depend heavily on email should also think twice before going the DIY route. This is because email migration involves recreating accounts, transferring mailbox data, and updating MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. If any of these are missed or set up incorrectly, you could lose incoming emails or have messages land in spam folders.

If any of this feels unfamiliar to you, check whether your new hosting provider offers migration support. Many hosts will handle the transfer for you, either as a free service or for a small fee.

This is especially worthwhile if your site handles customer orders, stores user data, or serves as your business’s main communication channel.

Hosted.com®, for example, offers transfer support where the team preloads your website files, databases, and email accounts so everything is ready to go live. It’s a good option if you’d rather not risk handling the technical side on your own.

How to Choose a New Web Hosting Provider Before You Move

If you’re switching hosts because of poor performance or bad support, the last thing you want is to end up with the same problems. That’s why you should take time to evaluate your options before committing. Here’s what to look for:

Performance & Uptime

Your hosting provider directly affects how fast your site loads and how often it stays online. So, look for a host that offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Anything less means your visitors could hit a down page more often than they should.

Server speed also matters. A slow server means slow page loads, which harms user experience and search engine rankings. Check whether the provider uses modern server technology and has data centers in locations that serve your audience well.

Security

A good host should protect your website without you having to think about it. At the very least, look for providers that include an SSL certificate, malware scanning, and regular backups.

Beyond that, check if they offer 24/7 server monitoring and firewall protection. These features help catch threats before they become real problems. If a host doesn’t mention security on their website, that’s a red flag, and you need to pay attention to it.

Scalability

Your website’s needs today won’t be the same as they will be a year from now. Choose a hosting provider that lets you upgrade your plan easily as your traffic, storage, and bandwidth needs grow. Ideally, upgrading shouldn’t cause any downtime or require a full migration to a different server.

This is especially important if you run an ecommerce store or a content-heavy site that’s expected to grow over time.

Customer Support

The quality of customer support can make or break your hosting experience. So, ensure you look for a provider that offers responsive technical support through multiple channels. More importantly, check whether they provide migration assistance. A host that helps you move your site is worth far more than one that leaves you to figure it out on your own.

If you’re not very technical, choose a provider with a reputation for helping beginners. Read reviews and look for mentions of how their support team handles real issues.

Pricing & Renewal Terms

Low introductory prices can be tempting, but it’s a good idea to check the renewal rate, too. Some providers double or triple the price after the first billing cycle, and that surprise can sting.

Look for transparent pricing with no hidden fees and review the cancellation policy. You don’t want to be locked into a long contract with a provider that doesn’t deliver on its promises.

Added Features

The right features can simplify the way you manage your website day-to-day. A provider that offers cPanel hosting gives you a familiar, easy-to-use control panel for managing files, databases, and email.

If you’re running a WordPress site, look for WordPress hosting that includes one-click installs, automatic updates, and built-in performance optimization.

Other features worth looking for include email hosting, a website builder, and one-click app installers. These extras save time and reduce the necessity for third-party tools, keeping everything under one roof.

Step-by-Step: How to Transfer Web Hosting

Now that you’ve gathered your details and chosen a new provider, it’s time to transfer your website to a new host. Follow these steps to move everything safely:

Step 1: Back up Your Website

This is the most important step. A complete backup is your safety net. If anything goes wrong during the website transfer, you can restore everything and start over.

To back up your site, download all your website files from your current hosting account. For this, you can use an FTP client or your host’s File Manager to grab everything, including HTML files, scripts, images, themes, plugins, and media uploads.

Don’t forget configuration files, as these control how your site connects to its database and server.

Next, export your database. If you’re using WordPress or another CMS, your database stores your content, settings, and user information. You can export it through phpMyAdmin or a similar tool in your hosting control panel. Save the exported file somewhere safe on your computer.

Finally, if your email is hosted with your current provider, back up your mailbox data. Use an email client to download all your messages or check if your host provides an export tool. Write down every email address, password, alias, and forwarding rule you’ve set up.

IMPORTANT:

You can refer to our guide, WordPress Backup Strategies Before, During, & After Site Migration.

Step 2: Create Your New Hosting Account

Sign up for a plan with your new hosting provider and complete the account setup. Once your account is active, login to the control panel and get familiar with the dashboard.

Before you upload anything, note down the important server details.

These include:

• Your new server’s IP address.
• FTP credentials.
• Nameservers.
• The database server hostname.

You’ll need all of these in the upcoming steps. If your new host uses cPanel, most of these details will be available on the home screen or in your welcome email.

Step 3: Move Your Website Files

At this stage, connect to your new hosting account using an FTP client or the built-in File Manager in your control panel. Upload all the website files you downloaded in Step 1.

Ensure you pay close attention to your folder structure. Your files need to be placed in the correct directories on the new server. In most hosting setups, your website files are found in the public_html folder. If you place files in the incorrect location, your site won’t load properly.

After uploading, double-check file permissions. Most files should be set to 644 and folders to 755. Incorrect permissions can cause errors or make certain pages inaccessible.

Step 4: Export & Import Your Database

This step applies to WordPress sites and any other website that uses a database.

If you haven’t done so already, login to your old host’s control panel, open phpMyAdmin, select your database, and click Export. Select the SQL format and save the file.

Now, go to your new host’s control panel and open phpMyAdmin there. Create a new database, then use the Import tab to upload the SQL file you just saved.

Once the import is complete, you’ll need to update your site’s configuration file to connect to the new database. For WordPress, open the wp-config.php file and update these four lines with the new details:

1. Database name.
2. Database username.
3. Database password.
4. Database host.

If these values don’t match the new server’s settings, your site will show a database connection error instead of loading.

Step 5: Set up Email Accounts & DNS Records

Email is one of the most overlooked parts of a hosting transfer, and it’s one of the riskiest, too. If your email accounts aren’t set up correctly on the new server, you could miss important messages during and after the website hosting migration.

To avoid this, follow these steps:

• Recreate every email account on your new host. Use the same addresses and passwords from your old setup. If your host supports it, import your saved mailbox data to ensure you don’t lose old messages.
• Next, copy all your DNS records related to email. These include MX records, which tell the internet where to deliver your mail, as well as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. These authentication records help prevent your outgoing messages from being flagged as spam.

If your business depends on an email hosting service, take extra time on this step. Test your email setup on the new server before directing your domain to it. Send test messages to and from each account to confirm everything works.

IMPORTANT:

Check out our guide, Top Email Security Tips to Protect Your Small Business.

Step 6: Test Your Website Before Updating DNS

Don’t update your nameservers yet. First, ensure everything works on the new server.

Most hosting providers provide a temporary URL or a server IP address that lets you preview your site before you go live. Use this to go through your entire website and check that everything works properly.

Here’s what to test:

• Page loads and visual layout.
• Contact forms and other input forms.
• Checkout and payment processes (if applicable).
• Login and membership areas.
• All images and media files.
• Mobile responsiveness across different screen sizes.
• Page speed.
• Internal links.

If something is broken, now is the time to fix it. It’s much easier to troubleshoot before DNS is updated than after, when real visitors are landing on your site.

Step 7: Update Nameservers or DNS Records

Once testing is done and everything looks good, it’s time to point your domain to the new server.

Login to your domain registrar’s account and update the nameservers to those provided by your new host. If you prefer more control, you can update individual DNS records (A record, CNAME, etc.) instead of changing nameservers entirely.

After you make the change, DNS propagation begins. This is the process where the updated records spread across the internet, and it can take anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours. During this time, some visitors might see your site on the old server, while others see it on the new one.

IMPORTANT:

Avoid making any changes to your website or DNS settings while propagation is in progress. Let it finish before you touch anything else.

Step 8: Monitor the Website After the Transfer

The transfer isn’t done just because DNS points to the new server. You need to watch your site closely for the next few days.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Check that your site stays online consistently.
• Test your contact forms, checkout flows, and login areas again from the live site.
• Confirm that your SSL certificate is active and working by looking for the padlock icon in the browser’s address bar.
• Monitor your email delivery, too. Send and receive test messages to ensure nothing is bouncing or going to spam.
• Sign in to Google Search Console and check for crawl errors or indexing issues. Review your analytics to see if traffic patterns look normal. Any sudden drops could signal a problem that needs attention.

Once everything has been stable for at least 48 to 72 hours, you can safely cancel your old hosting account. Do not do this before.

How to Transfer Web Hosting Without Downtime

Downtime is the biggest worry most people have when switching hosts. The good news is that it’s almost entirely avoidable if you plan. Here’s how to transfer hosting without downtime:

Don’t Cancel Your Old Hosting Too Early

This is the number one error people make. Keep your old account active until the transfer is fully complete, tested, and DNS propagation has finished. Running two hosting accounts simultaneously for a few days costs very little compared to the risk of losing your site.

Test Everything Before Switching DNS

Your new server should be a working mirror of your site before any visitor ever sees it. Use the temporary URL or server IP from your new host to verify that the pages load, forms submit, databases connect, and emails work. Skipping this step is how most downtime happens.

Transfer During Low-Traffic Hours

Check your analytics to find when your site has the least traffic. Updating your nameservers during that window means fewer visitors are affected if anything unexpected arises. For many businesses, late evenings or early mornings on weekdays are the quietest periods.

Keep Your Backups Accessible

Don’t bury your backup files in a random folder on your computer. Store copies in at least two places, perhaps your local drive and a cloud storage service. If something goes wrong during or after the switch, you will want fast access to your files and database to restore.

Lower Your DNS TTL Before Migration

Time to Live (TTL) controls how long internet providers cache DNS records. A few days before you plan to update your nameservers, lower your TTL to a short value, around 300 seconds.

This way, when you do make the DNS change, it spreads faster across the internet. After propagation is complete, you can set it back to its normal value.

Verify Email Records Before Launch

Email disruptions are harder to notice than a website going down. Before updating DNS, confirm that your MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records on the new server match your requirements. A missing MX record means incoming mail won’t be delivered. An incorrect SPF record can cause your outgoing messages to be flagged as spam. So, ensure you set them up correctly.

If you follow these steps, your visitors shouldn’t notice the switch at all. That’s the goal: a transfer so smooth that nobody knows it happened.

Web Hosting Transfer vs Domain Transfer: What’s the Difference?

These two terms sound similar, but they refer to completely different items. That’s why understanding the difference will help you avoid unnecessary steps and confusion during your move.

Web Hosting Transfer

A web hosting transfer moves your website’s files, databases, and email accounts from one hosting provider to another. It changes where your site is stored and served from, but your domain name stays the same. You just need to update your nameservers or DNS records, so your domain points to the new server.

Domain Transfer

A domain transfer, on the other hand, changes which company manages your domain registration. It doesn’t move your website files or affect your hosting at all.

It simply shifts control of your domain name to a different registrar. The process involves unlocking your domain at the current registrar, requesting an authorization code, and submitting it to the new registrar.

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison:

Feature	Hosting Transfer	Domain Transfer
What moves	Website files, databases, emails	Domain registrar only
When you need it	Yes, when you change web hosting company	Only if you want a new domain registrar
Affects your website	Yes, files move to a new server	No, your site stays where it is
Affects DNS	May need a nameserver update	Changes registrar, not hosting
Can you do one without the other?	Yes	Yes

The key takeaway is that you can switch your hosting provider without transferring your domain. Most people only need a hosting transfer. However, keeping your domain and hosting with the same provider simplifies management, as everything is in one place.

If you’re still unsure how these two work together, our guide on web hosting vs domain name explains it in more detail.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Web Hosts

A hosting transfer can go smoothly, but only if you avoid the pitfalls that catch most people off guard. Here are the most common errors and how to steer clear of them:

• Back up everything, not just your website files, but also your databases, configuration files, media uploads, and email data, because missing one piece can break your site on the new server.
• Keep your old hosting account active until DNS propagation is complete and wait at least 48 to 72 hours after the switch before canceling.
• Recreate all email accounts on the new server and update your MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to prevent email loss or spam issues.
• Always preview your site on the new server using a temporary URL, so you can fix problems before real visitors see them.
• Setup 301 redirects if any page URLs have changed, because without them, visitors and search engines will land on broken pages, and your rankings could drop.
• Install and activate your SSL certificate on the new server before going live, or visitors will see a security warning in their browser.
• Don’t choose a hosting plan based on price alone; ensure it offers the storage, bandwidth, and server environment your site needs.
• Monitor your site for a few days after you move web hosting providers by checking uptime, testing forms, monitoring email delivery, verifying SSL status, and reviewing Google Search Console for crawl errors.

Most of these errors stem from rushing the process. Take your time, follow each step carefully, and your hosting transfer will go much more smoothly.

How Long Does a Web Hosting Transfer Take?

There’s no single answer, because it depends on how large your website is and how quickly both providers respond.

A simple, static website with a few pages and no database can be transferred in a few hours to one day. The process is straightforward, since you’re mostly just uploading files to the new server.

Larger sites take longer. A WordPress site, an ecommerce store, or any site with a database, multiple email accounts, and custom configurations can take anywhere from one to seven days. The more components your site has, the more time you’ll need to transfer, test, and troubleshoot.

On top of the actual transfer, DNS propagation adds its own timeline. Once you update your nameservers, the change can take 24 to 48 hours to propagate across the internet. During this window, different visitors may see your site on different servers (some will see it on the old server and others on the new one).

The level of cooperation of your current hosting provider plays an essential role. Some hosts make it easy to download your files and export databases. Others have slower support teams or restrictive processes that can add delays. If your old provider requires a 30-day cancellation notice, factor that into your timeline as well.

The best approach is to give yourself more time than you think you’ll need. Rushing a transfer will lead to errors, and errors lead to downtime.

Let Hosted.com® Help Transfer Your Web Hosting

If handling the technical side of a hosting transfer feels overwhelming, you don’t have to do it alone. Hosted.com® offers migration support to help you move your website with less stress and fewer risks.

The team will preload your website files and databases onto your new server, so everything is ready before you make the switch. Your email accounts are set up and configured in advance, so you won’t miss a single message during the transition.

You will also receive support throughout the entire process. If something unexpected arises, assistance is available to get it resolved quickly.

Our cPanel hosting and WordPress hosting plans are built on carrier-grade hardware, powered by LiteSpeed servers, backed by a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and featuring a full suite of security tools. Every plan includes a free SSL certificate, malware protection, and regular backups.

With full cooperation from your current hosting provider, the transfer can be completed easily.

If you’re ready to move to a faster, more reliable host without the headaches, explore the Hosted.com® hosting plans and let the team do the heavy lifting for you.

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